President Obama Will Veto Defense Policy Bill

For the Air Force, lawmakers reduced cash for F-35 joint strike fighter procurement by nearly $100 million over concerns surrounding combat capability. Lawmakers limited funds to buy the service’s F-35As to $4.3 billion until the secretary of defense can certify to congressional defense committees that the 13 planes planned in fiscal 18 will have full combat capability, including the latest Block 3F hardware, software and weapons carriage. Responding to the controversy surrounding the Air Force’s plan to transition its A-10 close-air support aircraft to backup flying status, lawmakers prohibited the service from moving more than 18 A-10s from the active component. The bill's language also bans the Air Force from using funds to retire any A-10s, EC-130H Compass Call aircraft, Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System planes or KC-10 tankers. Also notable, lawmakers slas...